Sash adjuster and lock.



Patented Supt. 9, I902. -F. w. a. BUETTEHER.

SASH ADJUSTER AND LOCK.

(Application filed May 24, 1901.)

(No Model.)

NITED STATES FREDERICK W'. G. BOETTOHER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

S ASH ADJUSTER AND LOCK.

SPECIFIQATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 708,517, datedSeptember 9, 1902. Application filed May 24, 1901. $erial No. 61,757. Nomodel-J To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. G. BOETTCHER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Detroit, in the county of WVayne and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Window-Sash Adjusters and Locks; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to improvements in window-sash adjusters andlocks, and more particularly to such a device adapted to adjust aWindow-sash to any desired vertical position and automatically lock thesame.

The object in view is the production of a sash-adjuster applicable toany of the common forms of sashes, the operation of which will impart aquick positive upward or downward movement to a sash and when so raisedand lowered will retain the said sash in such position until againoperated.

With this and other objects in View it consists of certain novelconstructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, as will behereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a view in frontelevation of a window-sash adjuster and lock embodying the features ofthe present invention, parts of the casing being broken away to betterillustrate the parts. Fig. 2 is a View in elevation of the opposite faceto that shown in Fig. 1 of the same parts, the rack-bars being shown inposition. Fig'. 3 represents a side elevation of the adjuster and lock.Fig. 4 represents a vertical longitudinal section of the same on line at4 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 represents a view in side elevation of theapplication of the adjuster and lock to the two sashes of a window, thecentral portion of the window being broken away.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1 indicates a suitable casingpartially inclosin g a suitable shaft, as 2, which shaft finds bearingsat its inner end and near its outer end in said casing 1. The inner endof shaft2 is preferably formed with a suitable wormthread, as 3, and theouter end is formed polygonal and is adapted to receive a suitable key,as 4, for rotating the same. At a suitable point intermediate the lengthof casing 1 is formed an aperture, as 5, in the wall of the casing, anda sleeve, as 6, is rigidly secured to shaft 2 and adapted to rotate insaid aperture, the ends of said sleeve forming annular shouldersengaging the walls of easing l surrounding said aperture, and therebypreventing longitudinal movement of said shaft 2 with respect to saidcasing.

The casing 1 is enlarged at its inner end and forms a housing, as 7, fora worm-wheel,

as 8, meshing with the worm-thread 3 of shaft 2. Wheel 8 is rigidlysecured in any preferred manner to a shaft, as 9, and is rotatablethereupon, said shaft being rigidly secured at one end to housing 7. Theopposite end of shaft 9 to the one carrying wheel 8 projects beyond theinner wall of housing 7 and carries a gear wheel, as 10, which isadapted to rotate upon said shaft. The gearwheel 10 is formed integralwith worm-wheel 8 and is provided with suitable teeth upon its peripheryadapted in operation to mesh with the teeth of a suitable rack-bar, as15, carried by one of the vertical strips of a windowsash.

An annular flange, as 11, is preferably formed upon housing 7 and isprovided with apertures, as 12 12, for receiving suit-able securingmeans for retaining the adjuster in position. Small flanges, as 13 13,may be formed upon casing 1 near its lower end and each provided with asingle aperture, as 14, for receiving securing means.

In the application of the present invention a pair of the improvedsash-adjusters is employed, one being secured to each vertical casingand so arranged that the polygonal end of shaft 2 will extend outwardlyand within reach of key 4. (Shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.) A pair ofrack-bars 15, each of which is of suitable size and shape and providedwith teeth adapted to mesh with the teeth of gearwheel 10 of itsrespective adjuster, is employed, and each is secured in any suitablemanner to one of the vertical strips ofa window-sash, the rack-bar ofone sash being arranged upon the opposite side of that of the othersash, as shown in Fig. 5. When the parts are thus assembled, rotation ofshaft 2, by means of key l of either adjuster, will, through worm-thread3 and gear-wheel 8, ro-

tate gear-wheel 10, whereby the sash carrying the rack-bar 15, whoseteeth mesh with the device being operated, will be raised and loweredaccording to the direction of the rotation shaft 2. It will be observedthat the gear-wheel 10 projects to one side of the casing or housing 7,its faces lying parallel with the faces of said housing. When themechanism is put in place or countersunk in the inner face of awindow-frame, the gear-wheel 10 thus projects sufficiently to engageeither a rack to the rear of it on the upper sash ora rack to the frontof it on the outer face of the lower. sash. When the window-adjuster isput in position with its flanges l3 flush with the surface of thewindow-casing, the gearwheel 10 is all that projects, itbeing arrangedin line with the rack-bars 011 the windowsashes. The pressure for movingeach rack being upon one side only I find it desirable to providerollers or other antifriction means, as 16, on the vertical strip of thesash opposite to that carrying the rack-bar 15, whereby danger ofbinding is obviated.

It will of course be understood that I may provide right and leftadjusters and locks on each sash, if required by the size of the windowto which the same is applied.

The housing is preferably let into the material of the jamb of thewindow and the parts made fast to said jamb by means of suitablesecuring means passed through the apertures in flanges 11 and 13,whereby the parts of the adjuster will be securely held againstlongitudinal or lateral movement.

By turning the shaft 2 the worm-wheel and gear-wheel are both rotated,the teeth of the latter moving at a greater speed than the former,whereby a given speed of rotation of the shaft will give a relativelyincreased speed to the sash in raising and lowering. By this means thelocking function of the worm-gearing is utilized and at the same timeits objectionably slow action avoided.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-- A window-sash adjuster and lock,comprising a casing adapted to be countersunk in the frame of a windowso as to lie flush therewith, a gear-Wheel of comparatively largediameter projecting outside the casing and adapted to engage a rackeither to the rear or the front thereof upon the upperor lower sash of awindow, a comparatively small pinion or wormwheel extending inwardlyfrom the said gearwheel into the casing, a worm engaging said pinion orworm-wheel, a shaft carrying the said worm and finding bearings in thecasing, the upper end of said shaft being reached through the opening inthe front of a windowcasing and formed with a squared end by which itmay be turned, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

FREDERICK W. G. BOETTCHER.

Witnesses:

R. F. DUVERNOIS, CHARLES 0. BATH.

